2. I once climbed a tree and was too scared to come down. Dad FINALLY rescued me after what seemed like hours but was more probably about ten minutes.

4. I once threw all my (first) husband’s things out a 2nd story window. Including ripped photos. (I bet you know the end of that story.)

5. I once wrote a naughty word on a store front in soap at Halloween. Caught–of course! Had to wash it off. But you see, words were important to me. I was an author at an early age!

6. I read all the way through our set of Golden Book Encyclopedias. (Mom bought one a week when she went grocery shopping.) We had few books in our home, and the ones we did have were loved.

7. I once wore a blouse inside out to a big conference breakfast in NY where I met my editor for the first time. Tons of agents and editors there. It wasn’t until later that I discovered it, when a woman on the street asked me why my blouse was inside out! (Never get dressed in the dark.) Still surprised, to this day, that I ended up with an agent!

8. I HATE bananas. Even as a kid. But I LOVE avocados.

9. Poetry gave me my life! I met my husband when he was co-editing a small press poetry journal that accepted some of my poems and then invited me to a critique group. (Husband #2–and going on 41 years.) He, in turn, gave me my two step-children and all my grandchildren. One never knows where the love of words will take you. It gave me much that I love.

10. Shutta was my dad’s nickname. (My real name.) Crum is my maiden name. I didn’t change it when I married Gerry. Heck, I figured nothing goes with Shutta anyway, I might as well keep Crum. Dad got his nickname from being told to shut-up all the time. (This I believe is the real story!) He was the baby of 12, and in order to be noticed he talked. He was a big talker all his life. I miss him.

And now, I’m thankful for all that and for the people in my life. What about you?

Those of you who know me well know that I’m a “word-collector.” Or, rather, a “swashbuckler” of words–as is Mouseling in my upcoming book. (December, 2017) I–We (Mouseling is my alter-ego) LOVE this list that resides on Tara Lazar’s site. It reminds me of the specialized journals I keep. One of them is just for fun words or phrases I’ve picked up while reading. I should post a list of fun phrases. At any rate, stop by Tara Lazar’s site and check out her list of 500 fun words. And then see how many you can use in a poem or picture book.

Congrats go out to Betsy McKee Williams and Meline Scheidel, who have BOTH won scholarships to the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators’ Winter Conference in NY! One person has won my scholarship, plus transportation from the Mich-Chapter. And because we had so many entrants this year the local chapter also opted to fund another person. Wow! Two!